The suspenseful new trailer for the thriller “Before I Go to Sleep” can leave the viewer wondering whether Nicole Kidman‘s main character is losing her mind or finding it. The process, whatever its direction, is painfully slow.

The film, based on the best best-selling novel by S.J. Watson, centers on a woman who wakes up each day with no memory, the result of an accident in her past. As bits of new information surface, she questions how much she really knows about her life and the people around her.

Marketers are under especially intense pressure when developing commercials to run during the Super Bowl. It is even worse for a small car maker like Jaguar, which has not advertised during the big game before.

To make the best impression, the company hired a group of unsavory characters.

More specifically Jaguar tapped the British actors Ben Kingsley, Tom Hiddleston and Mark Strong, all known for their bad-guy roles, to star in a 60-second spot called “Rendezvous,” which is scheduled to air during the game’s fourth quarter. Read More »

The new film adaptation of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” opens today in select U.S. cities by Focus Features, after playing to critical acclaim in the U.K. According to producer Robyn Slovo, as of last week, the Tomas Alfredson-directed film had already earned back 14 million pounds ($21.96 million). The film was made for $18 million, Slovo said.

The film was adapted from the novel by John le Carre by the screenwriting team of Peter Straughan and his late wife, Bridget O’Connor. Swedish director Alfredson (“Let the Right One In”) was very involved in the adaptation, which Straughan said made the process much easier and faster.

Fans of le Carre’s novel and the 1979 BBC television series are either eager for or skeptical of this film adaptation – made with a non-English director at the helm. One aspect of the film that’s immediately recognizable: its formidable cast. Gary Oldman plays the master spy George Smiley, popularized by Alec Guinness in the miniseries. Colin Firth plays intelligence officer Bill Haydon, and Mark Strong is Jim Prideaux.

Speakeasy had a chance to catch up with Alfredson, Straughan, and these actors to discuss “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.” Read what they had to say after the jump. Read More »

Two weeks ago, actress and singer Patti LuPone grabbed a cell phone out of the hand of an audience member who was texting during a performance of her current play, "Shows for Days." The bold move led to an outpouring of support from fans fed up with glowing screens. Ms. LuPone gives us her five rules of theater etiquette.